This invention relates to an electronic kWh meter for measuring energy in an electrical system, and more specifically, relates to a meter which does not require a potential transformer to detect and measure power and energy being consumed within an electrical system.
This invention relates to the metering of electrical energy in terms of, for example, kWh in an electrical system. Electrical energy in terms of kilowatt hours, or kWh, has been and continues to be metered with the rotating disc-type of meter which is disclosed in, among other sources, the "Electrical Meterman's Handbook", Chapter 7, 7th Ed., published 1965 by the Edison Electric Institute. The invention hereinafter disclosed represents a departure from the methodology and apparatus exemplified by the rotating disc-type meter. In addition, those who are familiar with the instrumentation and metering arts respecting electrical power and energy know of proposed systems including apparatus employing electronic and solid state devices for measuring power and energy. In such apparatus, the electronic and solid state devices replace the conventional rotating disc. Thus, in prior art systems, the current flowing through a line and the voltage across a load impedance connected to the line are each detected, and signals representing these parameters are coupled to a pulse width amplitude multiplier. The multiplier generates an output signal which is proportional to the product of the detected current and voltage. This signal is then averaged by means of a low-pass filter to provide a D.C. voltage having an amplitude which is proportional to the total average power of the electrical system. This D.C. voltage is converted to a pulse train by means of an analog-to-pulse rate converter, which pulse train has a variable signal repetition rate f which is proportional to the average power in the system with each output pulse signal representing a constant quantized amount of electrical energy. The output pulse train is then coupled to a display mechanism which may, for example, include a counter or register which performs conventional accumulation, storage and display functions. An example of one such kWh meter is disclosed in Milkovic U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 505,798, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,257. A drawback to such a metering system is that both a current and a potential transformer are required for each phase being measured in the electrical system. Because potential transformers are expensive, there is a need in the art for providing an improved method and apparatus for detecting voltage levels within the system without requiring one or more potential transformers.
It therefore is an object of this invention to provide an improved electronic kWh meter for measuring electrical energy wherein the need for a potential transformer is obviated.